Our 4th annual “Blizzards to Lizards” trek brought us to one of the most remote accesses to the Grand Canyon, via the Kanab Creek Wilderness. Just getting to the trailhead involved negotiating numerous turns for 35 miles on forestry roads leading across the Kaibab Plateau from Jacob Lake, Arizona. We planned to hike from the Jumpup Cabin trailhead to the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back in six days, and estimated the trip difficulty would be SC5 at one point. The reality was tougher than expected, however, and we found that the crux was SC6, there was a lot of SC5 and endless stepping over limestone cobble and boulders similar to those of creeks in the eastern Rockies like Exshaw Creek or Wasootch Creek.

DAY ONE—May 17

You don’t see the Grand Canyon from the trailhead, but rather drop into a small canyon which leads you inexorably deeper as you make the long approach. Here at Upper Jumpup Spring we experienced the lush beauty created by the combination of plentiful water and warm sun. We had springs for all our camps, but still had to carry 4 litres of water for the daily hike, as the canyons were either dry or the creek polluted by upstream agriculture.

Our first camp was on slickrock at Lower Jumpup Spring. At night the moon shone bright on the red rocks, the canyon wrens serenaded and the springs burbled.

DAY TWO—May 18

Early in the day we hit the crux of the trip. The canyon is called Jumpup because of a pouroff (falls) where it is said you must jump up from a pile of rocks to get up. We knew there was an eight-foot wall, which may have a ladder, but were surprised to find the pouroff was about 50 feet, with an exposed scramble. After searching quite a while for the route we finally found the ledge which led to the ladder, made from available sticks. Luckily we had gone prepared with ropes and Arnold and Peter’s climbing knowledge made for a comfortable descent for everyone. Packs were lowered directly down the cliff by rope.

The final 10 feet to the pile of rocks were on a well-built ladder. Due to spending a couple of hours at this crux, then a couple of easy pouroff scrambles, and endless limestone cobbles and boulders, we were unable to make it to the next springs in Kanab Canyon, so made a dry camp without supper or breakfast.

DAY THREE—May 19

By now we knew that it was going to be unrealistic to reach the Colorado, so we declared “beach day” at Showerbath Spring, which we reached in a couple of hours. Taking our rest and nourishment, we spent hours standing under the wondrous shower and playing in the deep pools.

We were now about 2,700 feet elevation, and it was hot. How hot? Well, I left a water bottle on the sand in camp and in the afternoon made tea by simply pouring the water onto a tea bag! The rocks were almost too hot to touch. The thermometer read 41 degrees. At night it would eventually cool off to the point where you needed just a bag liner, without even a light bag. At the Colorado River, at 1,800 feet, it would be at least two or three degrees hotter. The prickly pear and barrel cactus are quite impressive this low.

DAY FOUR—May 20

What more could a Ramblers coordinator ask for his 60th birthday than to wake to the serenading canyon wrens and warm glow of the red rocks of the slot canyon, then find a sacred datura blooming? These toxic flowers only bloom for one day, then wilt. To cap it all, it was nearly full moon.

We thought we would try to make a day hike to the Colorado. Our decision not to go with full packs was vindicated when we found lower Kanab Canyon requires endless scrambling over house size boulders and crossing deep pools. After lunch five continued on, with four eventually dropping the day packs and making it to Scotty’s Castle, about half way to the river.

DAY FIVE—May 21

We retraced our steps back up Kanab Canyon and Jumpup Canyon to Sowats Canyon, then up to Mountain Sheep Spring.

Here we found some Indian pictographs.

DAY SIX—May 22

Some hiking book author claimed to have walked 1,500 miles and only seen one rattlesnake, but we found two in one day, in the morning and evening.

The day turned out to be gruelling. Our route was a developed trail taking a short cut from Sowats Canyon back to upper Jumpup, eliminating the daunting challenge of climbing the Jumpup pouroff. Unfortunately, all six of us managed to pass a wooden sign pointing to the trail. We wasted the entire morning going up and down, forward and back, before finally coming back far enough to find our overshot junction. Fortunately we still had time to get out before dark, so pushed on, resting in every shady alcove. The hiking after 6 p.m. was in the shade as the sun fell below the canyon wall. We were glad to see the trailhead by 8 p.m., making the long drive back in the dark dodging numerous rabbits. As the restaurant at Jacob Lake was closed we enjoyed a celebratory breakfast at the lodge in the morning.

Participants: Peter, Barbara, Arnold, Nancy, Maria and Carl, coordinator and scribe.